This invention relates transporting and carrying apparatuses such carriers and wheelbarrows, and more particularly to a tracked carrier which is equipped with an engine and drive means for propelling the carrier, and a accessory attachment valve for attaching various mechanical devices thereto.
The usefulness of carrying apparatuses such as wheelbarrows is well known to those involved in construction, gardening, and other uses where loads are moved and transported form one place to another. The wheelbarrow is a unique tool in that due to its single wheel design, a relatively heavy load may be balanced and moved. Wheelbarrows are also useful in that they may be used to move loads over rough and difficult terrain where other means of transport would be very difficult.
Heretofore, attempts have been made to power or motorize wheelbarrows by using gasoline powered engines in order to propel the wheelbarrow and load carried in the wheelbarrow. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,549 issued to Bell uses an air cooled gasoline motor and power transmission mechanism affixed to the wheelbarrow. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,508 issued to Hoover et al. discloses a motorized wheelbarrow utilizing a gasoline engine which drives a front wheel through a friction drive transmission. The speed of the wheelbarrow is controlled by a throttle lever which is mounted on a handle of the wheelbarrow and is in combination with the friction drive lever which allows for the engine to be slowly and gradually engaged. U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,254 issued to Harris, III et al. discloses a motorized wheelbarrow using a displacement type engine and multi-speed transmission to drive the wheel of the wheelbarrow. U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,827 issued to Fox, discloses a motorized wheelbarrow with a rear wheel assembly. However, none of these devices show a means by which various attachments, for devices, such as snowblowers, augers, plows, or the like may be secured to and powered by the carrier or wheelbarrow.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a tracked carrier which operates in a similar fashion to a wheelbarrow yet which is safer and more efficient on rough or uneven ground and which is lightweight, strong, balanced, and efficient at carrying and transporting a wide range of load sizes and weights. The tracked carrier of the present invention includes an accessory attachment valve for attaching various mechanical devices, preferably with hydraulic hoses, to the carrier. The tracked carrier of the present invention has high performance capability and possesses sufficient power to drive the carrier at both slow speeds or at high speeds with small, medium or large loads.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentality""s and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a tracked carrier is provided having a frame and a handle secured to the frame. The handle has a proximal and a distal end thereto and a pair of downwardly depending support elements. The handle has a brake lever for controlling brakes mounted thereon. A first wheel is secured to the distal ends of the pair of handles by frame elements and a pair of drive tracks secured to the proximal ends of the pair of handles by the frame elements. A drive engine is mounted on said frame and linked to the pair of drive tracks by a drive mechanism. A hydraulic pump linked to an hydraulic drive motor. The hydraulic pump is linked to a pair of drive tracks arm levers. A throttle mechanism is operably engaged to the drive engine. An accessory attachment valve for attaching various mechanical devices, preferably with hydraulic hoses, to the carrier is secured to the frame and may accommodate operable linkage to various devices such as snowblowers, weed mowers, gardening plows, cultivator devices, scraping devices, augers, hydraulic mixers, and other attachments. Further, if desired, the tracked carrier of the present invention may be, through a hydraulic valve lever, operably linked to hand held hydraulic tools such as a hydraulic jack hammer, hydraulic chain saw, hydraulic drill, hydraulic saws and the like.
The tracked carrier of the present invention is lightweight, balanced, efficient, and highly effective at allowing a user to operate a wide variety of devices therefrom simply by attaching the device to the hydraulic attachment lever valve.